Did you know that 100% of military helmets and bullet-proof vests are manufactured by prison labor? Or that for-profit prison corporations have donated more than $45 million to political campaigns?

I think the most disturbing fact about for-profit prisons is that state governments sign contracts guaranteeing a percentage of beds filled, usually 90%. America’s largest for-profit prison system, Corrections Corporation of America, reportedly raked in 1.7 BILLION in 2011, and donated 1.9 MILLION in political contributions. Talk about an investment paying off!

I don’t know about you, but I’m frightened. After reading the articles below and going on a rant, my artist friend Dark Matter was equally outraged and volunteered to create a cartoon for me to use with this post. Considering that the majority of us are one or two paychecks away from being criminally poor, that is, taking up space with no money to pay rent on it, I’m finding this info downright horrifying.